Bombay High Court
RAVINDRA JAYWANTRAO SHINDEversusTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA AND ORS
- Decided
- Disposal
- Disposed Off
Holding
The Court permits the petitioners to file a representation before the Deputy Conservator of Forests and treats the petition as a representation before the Scrutiny Committee, thereby disposing of the writ petition.
Summary
The petitioners, Ravindra Jayawantrao Shinde and another, challenged the mutation of their land as ‘Private Forests’ alleging that the procedure under Section 35 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927 was not followed. The Bombay High Court, recalling its earlier directions in Writ Petition No.1536 of 2017 and Writ Petition No.5344 of 2026, ordered that the petitioners be allowed to file a representation before the Deputy Conservator of Forests. The representation is to be placed before the Scrutiny Committee established under the Government Resolution dated 13 August 2026 for speedy grievance redressal. The Court directed that the Scrutiny Committee adjudicate the matter expeditiously. Accordingly, the writ petition was disposed of with the aforesaid directions.
Issues considered
- What procedural requirements under Section 35 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927 must be complied with for mutation of forest land to private forest status?
- Whether the petitioners may be permitted to make a representation before the Scrutiny Committee for redressal of alleged wrongful mutation.
Legislation cited
- Indian Forest Act, 1927 — s. 35
Subjects
- Writ petition
- Land mutation
- Private forest
- Indian Forest Act
- Section 35
- Representation
- Scrutiny Committee
- Grievance redressal
- Bombay High Court
Judgment
Digitally
signed by
NISHA 5-wp.12853.2026.doc
NISHA SANDEEP
SANDEEP CHITNIS
CHITNIS Date: IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
2026.10.06
12:45:43 CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
+0530
WRIT PETITION NO.12853 OF 2026
Ravindra Jayawantrao Shinde and Anr. ...Petitioners
Versus
State of Maharashtra and Ors. ...Respondents
Mr. Prithviraj S. Gole with Mr. Abhishek Shende and Ms. Juhi Raut
for the Petitioners
Mr. M. M. Pabale, A.G.P. for the Respondent-State.
CORAM: BHARATI DANGRE &
ASHISH S. CHAVAN, JJ.
DATE : 5th OCTOBER 2026
P.C. :
1. In the wake of the directions issued by us in a bunch of
Writ Petitions, the lead Petition being Writ Petition No.1536 of 2017,
decided on 23rd July 2026, as well the directions issued in Writ Petition
No.5344 of 2026 decided on 24 th August 2026, we deem it
appropriate to permit the petitioners to prefer a representation to the
Deputy Conservator of Forests and permit the petition to be treated as
a representation to be placed before the Scrutiny Committee which
N. S. Chitnis 1/2
5-wp.12853.2026.doc
shall follow the mandate as set out in the Government Resolution
dated 13th August 2026, issued by the Revenue and Forest Department,
streamlining for redressal of grievance of those who claim that their
lands have been wrongly mutated as ‘Private Forests’ without
following the procedure laid down in Section 35 of the Indian Forest
Act, 1927.
All the proceedings shall be adjudicated by the Scrutiny
Committee in expeditious manner.
With the aforesaid directions, the writ petition stands
disposed of.
ASHISH S. CHAVAN, J. BHARATI DANGRE, J.
N. S. Chitnis 2/2
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